Southeast's Schermann suffers skull fracture in fall

~ The Redhawks kicker fell off a ladder Tuesday.

Southeast Missouri State starting place-kicker Colin Schermann is in the hospital after falling off a ladder around noon Tuesday.

Schermann, a Cape Central graduate, has a skull fracture and is in the intensive care unit at Southeast Missouri Hospital, his father Paul Schermann said.

"He's been alert since the very first day really," Paul Schermann said. "He's had no memory problems or anything like that. He has a skull facture, which is serious because you can get an infection in it. He's being looked after."

Colin Schermann is a redshirt junior who scored 33 points for the Redhawks last season. He converted 24 of 26 extra-point kicks last season and went 3-for-7 on field goals. He was a first-team all-Ohio Valley Conference pick during the 2005 season.

Colin Schermann was on a ladder when the bottom started to slide and he tried to regain his balance.

"I expect him to have a full recovery, I really do," Paul Schermann said. "Physically, there's no damage to him whatsoever. He just has a skull fracture, and like I said, you have to be very careful."

His father said he's unsure when Colin will be able to return home.

"We haven't even talked to the doctor about that," Paul Schermann said. "I would suspect he has several more days in the hospital, maybe not in ICU, but they are just keeping him still. When you have bleeding on the skull, you have to stop that. You have to be very still or it can cause more bleeding."

Paul Schermann, who played football at the University of Missouri, was impressed with how his son has handled being in the hospital.

"He's a pretty tough kid," Paul Schermann said. "I think I'd be six feet under if I would have taken that fall. But he seems to be alert. He can carry on a conversation. He just has a skull fracture."